Table



Mar. 13', 1923.

1,448,642 G. E. TOMLINSQN TABLE Filed July 59,1921 2 sheetE-sheet 1 mnvssses llvmvrm GEORGE E. TOML/NSOIY UNITED STAT T 0 all whom it may concern Patented Mar. 13, 1923. l

GEORGE TOMLINSON, or wmonns'rna, KENTUCKY.

TABLE.

Application filed m 30, 1921. Serial No. 488,646.

Be it known that L GEORGE E,'TO;MLIN SON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Winchester, in the county of Clark and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and Improved Table, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a table, and has for an object-the provision of a collapsible table which can be very vsimply and eiiiciently assembled and disassembled.

Another object'resides in the provision of means whereby the table top may be simply, quickly and accurately connected and placed on the supporting leg portions with a minimum expenditure of time and labor.

A further object resides in the provision of means whereby a bracing member, is securely locked in place so that the supporting legs are maintained in a rigid spaced rea lation. I r a a i A' still further object resides in the particular construction and arrangement of parts which are hereinafter described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings. o

5 The invention is illustrated in the drawin s, of whichigure 1 is a side elevation of the table; Figure Q'is an end viewwith a part broken away; Y a

Figure 3 is a detail section showing the engagementbetween the table top and the supporting leg portions;

Figure 4 is a section 4-t of Figure 3; 1

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a partial detail elevation of the means for looking or restraining the -brac-- taken on the. a line ing member in position; and

Figure 7 is a section taken on the line 77 of Figure 6.

The preferred form of my invention, as shown in the drawings, comprises a tablehaving two top plates or sections 1 and 2 adapted to be supported at opposite ends by supporting leg portions 3 and 4:. Each leg portion comprises a base 5, an upper head-- piece 6, and two upright pieces 7 and 8. These upright pieces 7 and 8 are spaced apartslightly and dowel pins 9 and 10 eX- tend therebetween.

A bracing member 11 extends between the a supporting leg portions and is provided at resilient plate 16 has yielded in position suitia each end with a metallic plate 12 which my be connected-thereto in any suitable manner. This plate 12 is provided along its outer edge -Wlth two wedge-shaped projecting hook members 13 and 1 1. It will be noticed from an examination of the figures that the width of the plate 12 is just sufficient to admit the hooks 13 and 14 between the upright pieces7 and 8 so that the hooks may engage the dowel pins 9 and 10. As shown in Fig. 6, the upper corner edge of the bracing mem ber 11 is provided with a fiat metal, plate 15 to which the upper end of the plate 12 may be connected in any suit-able manner. 0 The width of the bracing member 11 is greater than the width of the plate 12, so that as the wedge-shaped hooks 13 and 1 1 engage withthe dowel, pins 9 and 10 the other. Since this actiontakes place at each end of the bracingmember 11, this member and the two leg or supporting bars are formed into a rigid compact unit.

a In order to latch or restrain the bracing members firmly inthe position where they rigidly engagewith the'supporting portions, I provide a resilient spring plate 16 which may be disposed in the space between the upright members 7 and 8 and fastened thereto along a flange portion 17 by'meansoi screws 18. The lower end of this plate is slotted, as at 19, and extends flush with the inner face of the members: 7 and, 8. hen the bracing member 11 is in its operative condition, the lower end of the plate 16 lies immediately above the upper surface ofthe plate 15 so that any upward i'no'vement of the bracing member which would tend to disengage the hooks 13 and 1 from the dowel pins-9 and 10 is prevented. A similar resilient plate is disposed at the other end of the bracing member 11. To insert the bracing member in place, it is merely necessary to insert the hooks 13 into the slot 19 and then force the hooks into engagement with the dowel pins, during which time the ciently to permit this action. However, as the hooks become fully engaged with the dowel pins, the plate 15 is on a level just low enough 'to permit the plate 16 to spring back into position shown in Fig. 6, whereby the bracing member is latched into position. I

' the parts and insures their accurate align-,

Each leg or supporting member, along the upper, outer edges of the headpiece 6, is provided with a suitable casing 20, which may be of metal and which secured-to the headpiece 6 and. fits into any prepared or cut-away port-ion thereof. In this casing a bolt 21 is disposed having a rectangular cross section, the inner end of which is provided with a pin 22 and a washer 23. Between this washer and the front inner surface of the casing a spring 24 is located, the normal tendency of which is to hold the bolt 21 Within the casing 20. The bolt 21 is provided with an upwardly extending portion 25 which normally lies closely adjacent the front face of thecasing. This portion 25, at its upper end, is provided with a backwardly extending projection 26 which is adapted to extend into a socket 27 in the lower face of the table top or plate 1 adjacent the outer edge thereof. It will be understood, of course, that there is a similar locking combination at each upper end of each of the head portions. To the lower face of the table top or plates 1 and 2, adjacent each socket therein, a metallic plate 28 is disposed having one edge extending slightly over the edge of the socket 27. This edge is provided with a tapered slot or groove, such as that designated 29in Fig.

5. The upwardly and b-ackwardly projecting portion of the bolt 21 is adaptedto engage with the front edge of this plate 28 and especially the tapered groove 29 thereof. As the bolt is pulled out against the action of the spring and then introduced into the socket 27 and released, it springs back into place, the upper end thereof engaging with the front edge of the plate 28. If the bolt does not happen to immediately seat itself in the bottom of the groove 29, the taper of this groove or slot will cause the table top to shift sufficiently for the bolts so to be seated, whereby the leg-supporting portions and the table top are accurately engaged. This automatic self-centering device permits the easy adjustment and assembly of ment. Approximately in the center of each head portion 6 on the upper edge thereof is disposed at post 30 having oppositely ex tending projections such as .31 and 32. These projections are spaced a certain distance above the top of the table. In the adjacent face oft-he top plates 1 and 2 are recesses, such as 33, into which these projections are adapted to extend. These recesses are provided with metallic plates 34 in form and function similar to the plate 28 above mentioned. Therefore, the engagement of the posts 30 with the respective table tops at their inner abutting edges is also efficiently and accurately achieved by means of the tapered groove or slot in the plates above mentioned.

In order to assemble the table, the leg portions are placed vertically the proper distance apart and then the bracing member is disposed in place. The hook portions move in between the upright members to engage with the dowel pin. As this engagement becomes complete, the spring plate 1-6, which has yielded. springs back into place with its lower edge above the plate 15, whereby the bracing member is locked into position. The table top 1 is then taken and placed on top of the headpiece 6 with the socket 27 engaging the projecting portion 26. The table top is then forced outward slightly, sutlicient to enable the engagement of thepost 30 with the recesses 33, whereupon the top is permitted to move back into central position. The same action is taken with respect to the other top plate 2, whereupon the table is in its complete assembled condition ready for use. I lVhat I claim is:

A latching device for tables, which comprises a leg supporting portion, a bracing member therefor, a dowel pin .on the supporting portion, a hook on said bracing member adapted to engage with the dowel pin to rigidly connect the supporting portion and the bracing member, a' spring plate disposed in the path of the hook as it is being connected to the dowel pin, said spring plate adapted to be disposed adjacent the upper edge of the bracing member whenthe hook and the dowel pin are engaged to restrain the bracing member in this locked position.

GEORGE E. TOMLINSON. I 

